The Jeddah Tower – Next Tallest Building in the world
Last Updated on 7th September 2025 by admin
As you may all be aware, currently Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world at the moment, but this is going to change. Next Tallest Building is The Jeddah Tower commonly referred to as the Kingdom Tower being under construction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It was started to be built in 2013 and is projected to be completed by 2028, and was designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill. When complete, it will stand 1,000 meters (3,280-3,281 feet) tall, 170 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa. The Jeddah Tower will have the highest hanging balcony and an observation deck in 652 meters above from the sea level.
Summary at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Height | 1,000 meters (3,281 ft) |
| Current Status | Under construction – resumed Jan 2025 |
| Floors Completed | 60–63 out of 157 |
| Completion Target | 2028 (roughly 42 months from 2025) |
| Design | Neo-futuristic; inspired by palm fronds |
| Uses | Mixed-use: hotel, residential, offices, retail, observatory |
| Key Architect | Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill |
| Structural Engineer | Thornton Tomasetti, Langan |
| Main Contractor | Saudi Binladin Group |
| Developer | Jeddah Economic Company / Kingdom Holding |
| Elevator System | 59 (55 single, 4 double-deck) |
The design of the Jeddah Tower by the American architect Adrian Smith, who also designed Burj Khalifa, which is one of the most famous building in Dubai. It was halted in 2018 following an anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia, which impacted the Binladin Group, and postponed again by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, a new request was sent and construction resumed officially in January 2025.
New floors started being poured and Saudi Binladin Group was contracted once again with a new contract valued at about SAR 8 billion (~ USD 1.9-2.1 billion). The developer estimates the completion period to 42 months with the finish date set to 2028. In a ceremony to restart construction in January 2025, it was noted that the team would add a floor approximately every four days, and the tower would be able to house 100,000 people when it was finished.
A Vision Beyond the Skyline
The Jeddah Tower is much more than merely attempting to break a world record. The skyscraper will be at the center of the ambitious Jeddah Economic City, a 20-billion development opportunity which will bring about the transformation of the Red Sea coastline into a commercial, tourist and luxurious lifestyle. The tower will also be occupied with both residential and office buildings, a high-end hotel, retail shops and observation decks which will give an amazing panorama of the city and its surrounding.
Fundamentally, Jeddah Tower is intended to encourage Saudi Arabia to diversify its economy and stop relying on oil, which fits into the framework of the Vision 2030 program in the country. The project will draw international business, investors, and tourists by providing a modern urban destination which in turn will motivate global interests.
Engineering Challenges
Constructing the world’s first kilometer-tall building in the air can be a challenge to the engineers. Even the simplest of things, such as wind pressure, the strength of the concrete used, the speed of the elevator and the stability of the foundation are monumental in such immense heights.
Engineers had to provide deep foundation of the building by using piles that reach well in the ground at over 100 meters deep. The tapering shape of the structure and the three-winged bottom of the structure minimizes the effect of wind vortices and this keeps the structure stable even during storms. The construction materials such as high-performance concrete and the advanced steel reinforcements were selected to resist the desert environment as well as the special needs of the structure.
Elevators were also an obstacle: the standard cables are too heavy to withstand such distance. To address this, Jeddah Tower will adopt state of the art lightweight systems and ultra-lightweight elevators that can travel at a speed of 10 meters per second. Not only can vertical transportation be made by these innovations, but it is also comfortable and effective.
Finally, Jeddah Tower is not just a tower made of concrete, steel and glass. Things are still tricky, but with new energy surrounding Jeddah Tower, its completion has never seemed more achievable than it does now.
The world could one day experience the official opening of the tallest skyscraper, ever constructed, not only in terms of the skyline, but also in terms of history. It is an ode to human ambition, a light of the present-day Saudi Arabia, and a symbol of human ingenuity. It will serve as an evidence that the sky is not the limit, but only the beginning.
